At What Age Do Labs Stop Growing?

The Labrador breed is known to be one of the friendliest and most useful companions among all breeds. They are very sensitive and affectionate, and they get along well with other dogs and even strangers. They are intelligent, playful, and are easy to train but need to have regular exercise so they can use all the energy that they have.

At What Age Do Labs Stop Growing: Things That You Need to Know

There are controllable and uncontrollable factors that influence the growth of dogs. Generally, dogs stop growing when they reach their first or second year although it still varies.

For labradors, much of their growth will be evident and completed before he reaches his first year. His height at around his ninth month will be his close to final adult size, but the weight is a different story.

Labs might not get taller after his first year, but the years after will be the filling out stages when he can get fatter and fatter depending on a lot of factors. The most rapid time when his growth will be evident is on his first or second month, so you might be surprised with how fast he can grow but it will stop before he reaches his first birthday.

There can be no exact date but labs can be considered full-grown at around 18 months. This is considered the right time when it is safe for your lab to do more strenuous activities such as jumping and long runs, without the risk of damaging his joints.

Sex hormones also have something to do with growth, so if your dog is neutered, growth will carry on longer than it naturally would.

Factors that Affect Growth

Working Labrador Types

There are labs trained for hunting and field works and these types are lighter in build and are faster, so it should not be a concern if they weigh less or if they are shorter than those raised at home.

Small Parents

Size can also be genetic, so if the parent labs are small, there is a big chance that your lab will be small too for the rest of his life.

Your Dogs Diet

Diet Puppies that do not get enough to eat, those not fed sufficiently, or those who are fed with the wrong types of food may experience poor growth rates. If you feed your dog more food, it will not always mean he is getting better and enough food.

What’s important is that you feed your dog with the right type of food with the right amount depending on his age. One of the common misconceptions is that if you feed your dog more, you are speeding up his growth.

This may be true, and your dog will simply get fatter or bigger due to the amount of food you are giving, but overfeeding can cause obesity and can be harmful to your dog’s joints.

Your Dog’s Overall Health

If your puppy or dog has been seriously ill, his growth may be delayed and may not be normal. His growth will depend on his state of health and if his illness has been prolonged, he can be permanently small or he may be able to catch up later if he will be given proper care and diet.

If your dog is getting the right amount of exercise and vitamins, they can appear healthier than some dogs who do not get the nutrients that they need, which then affects their growth. Labradors are very energetic and they do not adapt well to an apartment living so they really have to move and stay active as often as possible.

Dog Neutering

Neutering or the removal of sex hormones can also affect a dog’s growth. The bone growth plate closure will be delayed if this is done which will then result in taller or bigger dogs.

Ideally, the main goal of neutering is to prevent accidental breeding or increasing the breed’s population but some do this to create an effect on a dog’s growth rate.

The Verdict

These factors influence whether your dog gets taller or heavier sooner compared to the others. If you are worried about your dog’s health, the best step to take is to visit a professional for a consultation.

The growth of pets differ from one another and we cannot simply say that your dog is healthier because he is taller and heavier. Just like humans, pets need to undergo regular check-ups in order to make sure that they are okay.

Generally, we can say that the rapid period of growth for labs happen in their first two months. But factors like their diet, activities, overall health, genetics, as well as their sex hormones affect the rest of their growth rates.

They say labs reach their close to adult height before their first year but they can continue to weigh heavier on the years to follow. That is just a general idea, but that does not mean it happens to everyone. So if you feel like your dog is growing slower than that, do not decide on feeding him more than the desired serving because it can lead to obesity which can actually cause harm to your dog’s joints.

Again, if you feel that something may be wrong with your dog’s growth rate, have him checked by a professional so you can take necessary steps that will help your dog grow in a healthy manner.